Le Deutéronome 24:18 Commentaire : Rashi, Chizkuni, Ramban & Ibn Ezra

וְזָכַרְתָּ֗ כִּ֣י עֶ֤בֶד הָיִ֙יתָ֙ בְּמִצְרַ֔יִם וַֽיִּפְדְּךָ֛ יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ מִשָּׁ֑ם עַל־כֵּ֞ן אָנֹכִ֤י מְצַוְּךָ֙ לַעֲשׂ֔וֹת אֶת־הַדָּבָ֖ר הַזֶּֽה׃ (ס)

Rappelle-toi que tu as été esclave en Égypte et que l’Éternel, ton Dieu, t’en a affranchi; c’est pour cela que je t’ordonne d’agir de la sorte.

Rashi

וזכרת BUT THOU SHALT REMEMBER [THAT THOU WAST A SERVANT IN EGYPT AND THE LORD THY GOD RELEASED THEE THENCE] — I released you only with this condition — that you should observe my statutes even though there be monetary loss in the matter.

Chizkuni

וזכרת כי עבד היית, “you shall remember that you used to be a slave in Egypt.” The Lord liberated you from that sorry state by having mercy on you. You should have learned from this to have mercy on your less fortunate neighbours. Do not ever exploit their misfortune by treating them unfairly.

Ramban

AND THOU SHALT REMEMBER THAT THOU WAST A BONDMAN IN EGYPT. “I have redeemed you on the condition that you observe My statutes even though it may involve monetary loss.” This is Rashi’s language. But the correct interpretation is that it refers back to the admonitions concerning the stranger. I have already explained the meaning thereof.365Exodus 22:20 (Vol. II, pp. 392-393). See also above at end of Seder R’eih.